March 1st-8th marks the 5th annual Israel Apartheid Week. This has “become one of the most important global events in the Palestine solidarity calendar” (www.apartheidweek.org). Wait, WHAT?

For one week, creatures around the world are gathering to bash Israel’s security fence as an “Apartheid Wall.” Last year, more than 25 cities participated, along with several universities around the US and Europe. Millions of people that are uneducated at these centers of high-level education are being swayed to believe that Israel is an inhumane and backwards country that is stuck in a state similar to South Africa and America pre-civil-rights movement which enjoys watching civilians suffer on international television. The organizers of these events string long arguments depicting the IDF to be a cruel army, targeting civilians, and restricting humanitarian aid by showing movies (which are usually fake), holding large events of flag burning, and lectures filled with propaganda directed at those who have no idea what is going on in Israel.

It is critical that these attempts are thwarted and that the common public is told the truth. It is inevitable: people will hate the Jewish people and the idea of a Jewish state; but not everyone has to. StandWithUs and The David Project have plenty of resources, including posters that show members of Hamas teaching their children to shoot guns and other terrible crimes.

Whether you are left or right; pro-Security Barrier or not; reform, conservative, orthodox, or reconstructionist; right now we all have to stand together to fight these anti-Israel claims. By showing college students both sides – the radical Palestinian vs. the humanitarian Israeli – most will agree that the security barrier is firstly nothing like an Apartheid Wall, and second that Israel is just in its decision on protecting its citizens. But if no one acts not to publicize Israeli views, soon Apartheid beliefs will swarm and take control of North America and Europe.

What is even crazier about this week, is that it was created by a former Member of Knesset, Azmi Bishara. For those who don’t know, Bishara served in the Knesset for 12 years before resigning in 2007 due to criminal charges including treason and espionage. Even after resigning, he is still the leader of Balad, an Israeli-Arab Political Party. Generally, I support having members in a government from both sides of the spectrum, but this just furthers the reason why Arabs who do not give legitimacy to the State of Israel should not be allowed to serve in the Knesset. How can you be employed by a state that you do not believe should exist? A government’s job is to ensure the survival of its country, so how can members of a parliament believe that the country they serve should be driven into the sea? How can an entire political party be allowed to run when its chairperson has criminal charges of treason and espionage on his record? How is this logical?